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‘Time Is Not on Russia’s Side’ [on Ukraine]

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By David French, Opinion Columnist, The New York Times ,  Feb. 26, 2026,  5:06 a.m. ET Credit... [image by George Douglas ] You’re reading the David French newsletter.   Reflections on law and culture, war and peace, and the deeper trends that define and divide America.  Get it sent to your inbox. Four long years. That’s how long Ukraine has been fighting for its life against Russia. The sheer scale and ferocity of the conflict is hard for us to comprehend. Russia has lost a staggering number of men.  The Economist estimates  that total Russian casualties number between 1.1 and 1.4 million .  Between 230,000 and 430,000 Russians have died. That’s one in 25 Russian men between the ages of 18 and 49 who’ve probably been killed or seriously wounded since the war began. Ukrainian losses have been far less severe in absolute numbers, but worse as a percentage of the population. The Center for Strategic and International Studies estimates that Ukraine h...
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The Ukrainians Saving Lives With the Flip of a Switch

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Many in Ukraine assume that air-raid alarms are automated. A rare look inside an emergency-response center reveals the specialists who do the lifesaving work. Alina Ustiuhova, a supervisor, left, with colleagues in a secret air-defense facility below ground in Kharkiv, Ukraine. Credit... Brendan Hoffman for The New York Times By  Cassandra Vinograd  and  Oleksandr Chubko Reporting from Kharkiv, Ukraine The New York Times , Feb. 26, 2026,  5:00 a.m. ET As on most nights, Russian forces were targeting cities across Ukraine, threatening civilians and vital infrastructure. Gliding across the border were two guided bombs headed in the direction of Kharkiv, Ukraine’s second-largest city. At a secret facility deep below ground, Ukrainian specialists were watching and waiting, fingers at the ready. If the city was the target, they would need to act even before the military’s air defenses engaged, switching on citywide sirens to warn residents to take cover. Such sirens are a...
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